Thread cutter and clamp for looms



. Aug. 17, 1943. e. A. IRONS 2,326,362

THREAD CUTTER AND CLAMP FOR LOOMS Filed July 29, 1942 ENTQ G'EORGEAJRQNS ATTQRNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1943 THREAD CUTTER AND CLAMP J "-LOOMS.

FORP i- George A. Irons, Worcester, Mass; assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom .Worlrs, Mass, a corporation Massachusetts Worcester;

Applieation July 29, 1942; Serial Not-4527 34 I .3 Claims. (or. 139-264) f This invention relates to improvements in thread cutters and clampsfor looms andit is the general object of the invention to provide a mechanism of this type which will permit early cutting at the selvage "after a weft replenishing operation of the loom. o i

When the depleted bobbin is expelled from a shuttle the thread extending from'it to the adjacent 'selvage must be cut to prevent it from v being drawn into the warp shed. It i customary to provide a cutter and clamp between the, shuttle 'box and the selvage controlled so-as to operate at the'time of replenishment; The selvage trimmer or cutter iscustomarily mounted on the-- temple but does not usually operate. until several picks after rep1enishment.,If a second replenishingoperation occurs before a previously clamped thread is cut at the selvag e there is,

danger that the first threadwill be whipped into the warp shed. It is an important objectof my present inventionto provide a thread cutter operating in such a way as to move the thread to be out far enough forwardly to insure its entry into the range of action of the temple cutter on the replenishing beatof the loom or very shortly thereafter.

It is necessary that the thread of the outgoing bobbin be severed near the shuttle box mouth early r in the ,forward motion of the thread cuttenbut when the cutter operates at such time it still has ::a

considerable movement beforereturning to normal forward position.- It is another object of my present invention to provide a yieldable operating mechanism for the pivoted cutter bladewhich will cause the latter to operate while near its rearmost position and then yield to permit aconsiderable amount of forward motion thereafter. V V I v The former thread cutter generally used on the heavier type of. multicolor weftreplenishing loom employs a pivoted carrier moved from nor mal front to operating rearward position by a connection from a shaft having two angular positions determined by a spring lock. The previously mentioned yielding element which per- 7 r mits the enlarged forward motion of the-cutter normally acts on the pivoted carrier in a direction tending to cause oscillation of the control shaft. It is another object of my present invention to effect closing of the pivoted blade by a yielding element which exerts less turning force on the controlling shaft than that-exerted by the spring lock. r

It is a further object of my present invention to provide means for movingthe cutting and'clamping unit'forwardly at arate faster than :that of -:the lay. The unit is moved. to rear position while the "125 1 15 still, a considerable distance behind frontcenter so that the thread extends obliquely from the selvage intothe shuttle boxi As thelay advances the thread movestoward a Qposition 'ipa'rallelto;the fellgandtherefore -slackensz I use '1 a resetter ior the unit'mountedaonj thelayyin such position as to en'gagethe unit; carrier between its pivot and the unit andtherefore effect fall out of cutting positi on.-:

cutting before th thread slackens sufficiently to a With these and other objectsin view which will --appear as the description proceeds-.rny invention 1 resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set'forth.

4 In the accompanying drawingswherein a c-on-. venient embodiment of my invention i set forth,

Fig. 1 is a" side elevation offthe lower part of a weft replenishing mechanismas viewed from the center of the loom and having my invention ap lied thereto in normal position, .7

Fig. 2 ,is' a-fr on t elevation of themeclianism shown in'Fig. 1 oria'n enlarged scaley i Fig. 3 is anenlargedfdetailed view 'of certain parts ofQFig. 1 showingvthe cutter andclamp in 'rearwardposition,

- r 'Fig. 1 shows the pivotedcutteriblade in open position'relation and'its stop, and 1 f e. v

llig.v 5 is a diagrammaticplan view sholwing the manner of operationof my invention Referringto'Figjl, I have shown a loom frame 16 having a magazine M preferably of the multicolor. t pe and. providedjwith the usualtrans-- ferrerarm I I carrying a latchl2 to be positioned for transfer by downward motio-n of rod [3. The lay l5 swings' backwardly and forwardly for each pick of the loom and is provided with a-shuttle box l6'to receive "a shuttle 'the'lay cooperates with latch 2 when raised on a f forward beat on transferring picks tofcause downward movement of the transferrer arm so that a' reserve bobbin B in the magazine'can replacejthe bobbin B in the shuttle S." thread Textends from the selvage of the "fabric F'into the shuttle box It and is attachedto-the 7" v -bobbin B; Unless this threadTis' cut there-isdanger that it will be drawn into the warpshed and my invention relates to means to out thread T adjacent to the shuttle box I5.

Secured. to themagazineis a stan'dzo havingfa' stud 2| on which is. pivotally mounteda bell crank.22 the rearwardly extending arm of wh'ich is connected toxthe loweriend of a link zt, The I 5.5 depending arm OflBVBIiZZ. carries a pivot pin 25'' S; A bunter I?! on During transfer a Y any approved manner.

on which is mounted a carrier 28 having a stop 21 held against a second stop 28 on the bell crank lever by a relatively heavy compression spring 29. The forward or right end of spring 29, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, engages an upwardly extending arm 30 on the carrier 26, while the rearward end of the spring enters a pocket in lever 22. The purpose of the spring 29 is to permitforward yielding of the carrier with respect to bell crank lever to avoid breakage should the carrier be engaged by a misplaced shuttle.

The lower end of the carrier" 25 is provided "provide a rod 48 with a collar IS-below bearing "Eaand' held in adjusted position on the rod by with a rearwardly and horizontally extending foot 35 to which is secured a stationary cutter blade 36 and on which is pivoted a movable cutter blade 31. The left end of the fixed cutter blade 36,see

Fig. 4, is held in position on foot 35 bya screw 38,

and its right end may be secured'to the foot in screw 38. The movableblade 'swings'abouta stud A block 39 serves as. a stop for pivoted blade 31 and is held to foot 35 by I secured'tothe foot 35 and "on which is slid ably mounted a clamp plate ii the rear end of which is guided by a pin 41 extending laterally from the foot 35. The bladefl'movesbetween the stationary blad'eid and the clamp 41 cooperating with blade 38 to cut the thread andcoactin'g with the clamp plate 4| tohold that part of the threadextending to the fabric. T'I 'he clamp 41 may :be

held a ainst the pivoted blade by'rneansmf a 3i;- ,spring 43 secured to the carrier 26.

Blade 31 has a forwardly extending finger 14s pivoted as at 48 to a rod head'fl adjustable on the lower end of an operating rod 48.. The upper endo! rod 4 8 slidesthrough a pivoted or swiveld hearing 50 .rockable abouta'pin 5| on the support 20. The bearing'50 swings about its axis 5| as tioned for engagement with the carrier 26 when the latter is in its rearward position. I also in a clockwise direction-as viewed in Fig. 4.

Stop EQ'and the parts on and connected to rod 33 are so located that-spring Isis always under somecompression. a 1 Under normal conditions the parts are inthe position shown in Fig. l with the carrier 26 held in forward position by the spring lock L. The pivoted blade '3'! is in closed position and against stop Stjand; spring '18 is under maximumcompr'es'sion, exerting a force through'rod "Q3 tending to'move the carrier'ZB rearwardly. This force, however, is much less than that exertedby the spring 66 and the parts are therefore maintained as shown in Fig. 1. Collar 80 is'space'd above bearingfailfand latch l2- is below the path of the angle of the operating rod changes and the j rod is slidable through the hearing.

The loom frame is provided with a temple '55 extending along the right sewage of the fabricto a point spaced a slight distancein advance of the fell 56 of the cloth. 'I' he 'threa diT extends from the intersection of thei'ell and 'selvage into the shuttle box but is ordinarily behindjthe range of -I action of the temple cutter 51 sincethelatter is set several picks in advance of the fell or the cloth. The lay operates a temple cutter in usual manner on each forward beat. f

As shown in Fig. 2 the upper end of linl:' 23 is pivoted to an arm 61'! secured to a shaft 5i rockably 'mounted'on the magazine frame. A

. spring or yielding lock L is provided to hold the shaft Si in either of two positions and this lock ii'icludesan arm 62 secured to the shaft BI and having pivotally mounted thereon a block 63. A

lever 54, pivoted onthe magazine frame at 65 is slotted to receive the block andsupports a cornparatively heavy compression spring 65 the lower end of which acts on the left arm of lever 64 asseen in Fig. 2, while the upper endof spring acts on the block 63.; The right arm of lever 54 is provided with a stop screw fi'l for engagement with a stop lug 68 on the magazine frame,

while the left armof lever 64 carriesa second stop screw 69 for engagement-with thef:lug.-.' By'reason of the spring 66 and the stop screws on lever 64 shaft 6| is held yieldingly in cheer the other of its extreme positions. Under normal conditions the parts are in the position shown in Fig.

2 with arm 60 down-and screw 69 against the lug. when a replenishing operation is indicated, however, shaft 6| is turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 by-mechanism not shown to raise blll'ltel I1. Furthermore,- carrier 26 is infront of the forward end of the path traversed by resetting 'sc'rew' 'i5. v

Whena replenishing'cperation oi the'loom is called-by mechanismnot shown herein but well 'understood,- shaft 6|} will rock to the rightas viewed in Fig. 2-to liftlink 23 and move the carrier. 28 to its rearrnost position shown in-full lines in Fig. 3; while the-lay is far enough back to'prevent interference between screw 15 and carrier 26. During rearward-movement of the carrier 25 rod 48 will descend through bearing 50 with accompanying expansion of Spring'lB.

Collar so will eventually engage bearing 50 after which continued rearward movement of the-car'- rier 26, wi11 cause the blade'3l to rock on its axis A}! away from stop 39 to the open position shown in full lines in Fig; 3. 'As the lay advances the thread T will move fully in to the bight between blades 35 and 37, after which'the resetting screw 1 '55 will engage the carrier 26 and move the latter forwardly to cut the thread T and release that partof the latter extending from the blade35 to the shuttle and grip between blade 31 and clamp that'partof the thread T extending from blade-35 to the selvage. Because of the location of center 2! and screw .15, the cutter moves forwardly faster than does thread T and the lay.

Thr'eadfl therefore has little chance to slacken due to advance of the lay before being "cut.

' Spring 13 will expand to provide the cutting and clamping force'which actuates the blade fl and willmove the latter-against the stop 39, while collar'flfi is against bearing '55. Further angular movement of the blade 31 with respect to the carrier is prevented by stop 39, and as the carrier 25 'continues'to' advance spring 13 undergoes compression by upward movement of' rod 48 through bearing 5!! as collar Bil rises'irom the bearing. The resetting screw '15 moves carrier 25 positively to a position which will throw the lock L somewhat past its center, after which the spring 56 will complete left hand movement of shaft and finish the downward motion of link 23 and forward motion of carrier 28. In the final stages of resetting spring 18 will undergo its,

maximum compression, but asalready mentioned it is too weak to unseat the lock L which controlsthe position of shaft SI and the carrier 26, V

In similar thread cutters heretofore employed an attempt to give the carrier'zfi an enlarged forward motion would result in movement of the rear end of the pivoted blade 3! upwardly out 7 of clamping relation-with respect to the plate 3! and the thread T extending to the selvage would be prematurely released. By providing thestop 39 I arrest movement of the blade SI'ea'rly in the forward swing of carrier 28 in such position action of the lock preparatory to a replenishing operation of theloomand thereafter returning *t-o normal po-sition,'a pivoted carrier connected I to the shaft to move therewith from'normalto transfer position and back to normal position, a; v thread cutter and clampunit on the carrier in- V eluding a blade pivoted" to the. carrier'between' a second cutter and a clamp onthe 'carrienlan actuator on the lay to-engage the carrier between the cutter and clamp unit and the carrier axis when the carrier is in transfer position to m'ove' said carrier toward 'norma'l positionjand operating mechanism connected to the pivoted c "blade to move the latter to closed position during as will preserve clamping of the thread,'and the remaining forward motion of the-carrier 26 can occur because of compression ofjthe spring '73.-

It is desirable that the carrier have a considerable forward movement as will be. understood from Fig. 5 where it willbe seen that position I corresponds to the normal forward position of the carrier shown in Fig. 1, while position II corresponds to the rear-most position shown-in full lines in Fig. 3. The cutter operates early in the return or forward strokes of the carrierv at" some such position as'indicatedr at III in Fig, 5. c

When the cutter is in extreme forward position the'thread T will extend rearwardly at a sumr cient angle with respect to the selvage to enter the range of action of the temple cutter 51.. The r latter will therefore operate promptly to cut the thread near the cloth before a second replenishing operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means for effecting thread cut ting early in the forward movement of the cutter and clamp unit and thereafter move theunit forwardly a sumcient distance to move thread T into the range of action of temple cutter It i will be noted that spring 18 is suficiently strong to give the blade 3i its operating movements but is not strong enough to unseat the lock L as maintained by the spring at when the parts are in normal position. It will further be seen that the collar 88 engages bearing 59 and causes rod 63 to open the cutter 31,. It will further be noted that the resetting screw 15 is solocated to move the cutter and clamp unit forwardly at a rate faster than the advance ofthelay to effect cut.-' ting of the thread T While it is still taut and before it slackens sufficiently to fall out of cutting position,

Having thus described by invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by. those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but whatl claim is:

1. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having alay and operating with a shaft controlled by a spring lock'and movable from normal to transfer position against the I the-first part of the movement of the carrier I 7 caused .byengagement thereof ator.

L 2. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing-loom provided with a shuttle from" which extends a thread, the loo-m having a lay and op'era'ting with a shaft controlled'by a spring lock and movable-from'normal to transferposi- 3 tion against the action of the lockpreparatory to a replenishing operation of the loom and thereafter returning to normal position, apiv oted carrier connected to the shaft to move operating mechanism connected to the-pivoted blade to give the ,latter ra cutting movement. toward closed position during'the first part of the movement'of thef carrierJcaused lay-engage,- ment thereof by said means. I

l 3; In thread control mechanism fo-raweftreplenishing loom provided with a shuttleffrom' j which extends a thread; the loom having a layand operating with a shaft controlled by-a'spring Y e lock and movable fromfnormal to transfer posi tion against the actionof the lock preparatory to a replenishing operation offlthe loom and thereafter returning to normal position, a plV' otedcarrier connected tothe shaft to move therewithfrom normal to transfer position and-back" I to normal'pcsition about an axis vertically disp c 7 placed from'said-thread a thread cutter and; v

. clamp unit on the carrier substantially at the levelof said thread and including a blade pivoted to the carrier, means to move the. carrier forwardly from transfer position to normal position at such a rate as to move the unit forwardly faster than that part of the 'lay at said level of V the thread as the lay advances'and operating mechanism connected to the pivoted blade to I z cause the latter to out said thread during the first part of theforward movement caused by saidmeans-v 1 A v Y GEORGE A. IRONS.

by the lay actu- 

